Fowler’s Evans defined by integrity and quality

Known for his integrity, quality work and true love for the Muskoka region, Bruce S. Evans will be missed by many throughout Ontario’s construction industry.

“No matter who he dealt with, he had this tremendous reputation of integrity and quality work. He would get angry about competitors coming here that weren’t doing work with the quality and integrity that he had,” said Tom O’Callaghan, vice-president of Fowler Construction.

Evans passed away peacefully at the Algonquin Grace Hospice in Huntsville, Ont. on Feb. 3 at the age of 81.

Evans got his start in the construction industry when he teamed up with his brothers Gordon and Bob to supply sod, landscaping and general contracting services under the name of Evans Contracting Company. The company was one of the first to be awarded a winter maintenance contract from the City of Toronto.

He then started Bruce S. Evans Ltd. which continued with winter maintenance and expanded into landscaping and golf courses.

In 1971 Evans acquired Fowler Construction from Glen Coates and is credited with leading the company on a path of continuous expansion. The company diversified to handle bigger jobs like highways and drilling, blasting and paving and expanded to include a recreational side for tennis courts, parking lots and driveways. It also expanded to supply aggregate materials and Fowler developed methods for liming materials to meet Ministry of Transportation specifications.

“He tried to service the whole market,” said Bruce Flowers, who worked with Evans at Fowler, serving as company president for about 12 years.

“He could provide them with aggregates and you could also provide them with high-end tennis court development or clay basketball courts.”

Evans also renovated the Grandview Farm into an upscale resort with timeshare condominiums and two golf courses, transformed the Gravenhurt wharf and created subdivisions in Huntsville and Bracebridge.

He created Forrec International, a planning and design firm that specialized in facades for Las Vegas casinos and theme parks, such as Canada’s Wonderland and Universal Studios.

He also formed Evanco Corp, the largest land developer in the Muskoka-Parry Sound area.

“People didn’t realize how much energy he had. He seemed to be able to just go, go, go. He always seemed to have two or three hours extra in a day than anybody else did,” said Flowers.

Quality and integrity are still present in everything Fowler does today.

“It’s in our DNA. It’s just what we stand for and a lot of that can be attributed to Bruce, he’s laid the groundwork for us to follow,” said O’Callaghan.

Evans served as the Ontario Road Builders’ Association’s president in 1982 and was inducted into ORBA’s Road Building Hall of Fame in 2011.

“The Ontario Road Builders’ Association is saddened by the loss of Bruce S. Evans,” said ORBA executive director Geoff Wilkinson.

“We lost a true industry friend…he will be greatly missed by ORBA and the industry.”

Evans was heavily involved in bettering the Muskoka area, he was a founding member of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts and was chairman for the Muskoka Hospital’s charity drive when it was raising $20 million for its expansion.

“He really believed in Muskoka, in the area and in its potential to allow for success right here in our own backyard,” said Flowers.

“It’s a loss to the community, there’s no two ways about it. Everyone we talk to up here say it’s a bit of an end of an era because he was a visionary, a dreamer, somebody that always saw something a little bit better for Muskoka.

“His hand prints are all over the area, the area that he loved.”

Evans is survived by his wife Marie, his children Linda Evans, Gregg Evans, Cheryl Cooper (Randy), Richard Evans (Jennifer) and Tanya Prada (Gerard), 13 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Follow Kelly Lapointe on Twitter @DCNKelly.